Method for accelerating terminal of wireless communication system accessing network

ABSTRACT

A method for accelerating network accessing of a terminal in a wireless communication system, comprises: a wireless terminal receiving system parameter information, and after obtaining system information of a base station identifier (BS ID) and a network access provider identifier (NAP ID), immediately judging validity of the NAP ID, or validity of both the NAP ID and the BS ID; if a result of the judgment is “valid”, the terminal proceeding to a subsequent flow of the network discovery and selection according to information stored in the terminal, otherwise, carrying out a new flow of network discovery and selection. The method avoids continuing to perform processes such as message receiving and decoding in the case that a NAP ID or a BS ID is invalid according to a flow in the current protocol, thereby increasing the speed of network accessing of a terminal.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an access network technique in awireless communication system, and in particular, to a method for awireless communication terminal to access a network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In current wireless networks, there are both operators of accessnetworks and those of service networks, and an access network can beshared by a plurality of service networks and a geographical districtcan also be provided with services by a plurality of operators of accessnetworks. In such a complex operating mode, functions for discoveringand selecting a network become more and more important.

In current wireless communication networks, schemes for implementingnetwork discovery and selection have their own characteristics, but inall these schemes, it is firstly required to acquire an identifier of anetwork, and then a terminal performs subsequent processing according toinformation stored in it.

Taking a WiMAX system as an example, in its newly released version ofNWG1.1.0, a flow and method for a WiMAX terminal to discover and selecta network are described. Wherein, a flow for discovering and selecting anetwork in the case that a terminal stores the configuration informationin a relevant subscription is described. In this case, the base stationcan optimize the process of accessing the network, including discoveringand selecting the network, by using the stored configuration informationin subscription. From this version, it can be seen that the current flowof network discovery and selection as well as accessing based on“information on the last connection” or “configuration information insubscription” comprises the following flow sequences:

In the case based on “information on the last connection”, a terminalperforms a flow of judging validity of the last download channeldescriptor (DCD) count value prior to a flow of judging validity of anetwork access provider ID (NAP ID) and a base station ID (BS ID). Andif it judges that the DCD count value is invalid, the terminal continuesto acquire messages such as a DCD message.

In the case based on “configuration information in subscription”, aterminal directly acquires messages such as a DCD message and thenperforms a flow of judging validity of a NAP ID.

According to the IEEE802.16e-2005 protocol, a downlink mapping (DL-MAP)message includes a “DCD count value” and a “BS ID (including a NAP ID)”,and a DCD message (a message sent by a BS periodically, definingcharacteristics of a downlink physical channel) includes a“configuration change count” and a “network service provider ID (NSP ID)change count value”.

According to the IEEE802.16e-2005 protocol, in downlink synchronization,a terminal always receives a DL-MAP message first to obtain a “DCD countvalue” and a “BS ID (including NAP ID)”, and then receives controlmessages such as a DCD message.

Therefore, it can be seen from the above analysis that according to theflows in current protocols, although the terminal decodes a DL-MAPmessage first to obtain a “BS ID”, a “NAP ID” and a “DCD count value”,it does not judge validity of the “NAP ID” and “BS ID”, leading to aresult that even if the “NAP ID” or “BS ID” decoded from the DL-MAP isinvalid, the terminal will still perform a subsequent flow of obtainingmessages such as a DCD message, thus increasing the time taken for aterminal to discover and select a network, and hence affecting the speedof network accessing of the terminal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The technical problem to be solved in the present application is toprovide a method for accelerating network accessing of a terminal in awireless communication system in order to improve the existing flowunder the current protocol, reduce the time taken for a terminal todiscover and select a network, and thereby increase the speed of networkaccessing of the terminal.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present inventionprovides a method for accelerating network accessing of a terminal in awireless communication system, comprising steps of

(a) a wireless terminal receiving system parameter information, andafter obtaining system information of a base station identifier (BS ID)and a network access provider identifier (NAP ID), immediately judgingvalidity of the NAP ID, or validity of both the NAP ID and the BS ID;

(b) if a result of the judgment is “valid”, the terminal proceeding to asubsequent flow of the network discovery and selection according toinformation stored in the terminal; otherwise, carrying out a new flowof network discovery and selection.

Furthermore,

if the terminal stores information on previous connections, then in thestep (a), the terminal judges validity of both the NAP ID and the BS ID;

if the terminal stores configuration information in subscription, thenin the step (a), the terminal judges validity of the NAP ID.

Furthermore, the subsequent flow in the step (b) comprises receiving,parsing and processing physical channel parameter messages.

Furthermore, in the step (b), if a result of the judgment is “invalid”,then the terminal starts a new flow of network discovery and selection,instead of receiving, parsing and processing physical channel parametermessages according to a current protocol.

Furthermore, in the step (a), the terminal obtains the BS ID and the NAPID as well as a download channel descriptor (DCD) count value bysynchronizing a downlink channel and parsing a downlink mapping (DL-MAP)message.

Furthermore, in the step (a), the terminal stores information onprevious connections and the subsequent flow in the step (b) comprisessteps of:

(b1) judging whether the DCD count value matches up with a DCD countvalue stored in the terminal; if yes, ending the network discovery andselection process, otherwise, proceeding to step (b2);

(b2) receiving, parsing and processing a DCD message and an uploadchannel descriptor (UCD) message as well as a network service provideridentifier (NSP ID) change count value, and proceeding to a subsequentflow according to a protocol.

Furthermore, in the step (a), the terminal stores configurationinformation in subscription, and the subsequent flow in the step (b)comprises:

receiving, parsing and processing a download channel descriptor (DCD)message and an upload channel descriptor (UCD) message as well as anetwork service provider (NSP) change count value, and proceeding to asubsequent flow according to a protocol.

In the present invention, in a network discovery and selection flowbased on “pre-existing connection information”, after a BS ID and a NAPID are obtained through reception of information of a wirelesscommunication system, validity of the BS ID and the NAP ID is judgedfirst, and then a subsequent flow is performed; or in a networkdiscovery and selection flow based on “pre-existing configurationinformation in subscription”, validity of the NAP ID is judged first andthen a subsequent flow is performed, thus avoiding continuing to performa series of useless procedures such as message receiving and decoding inthe case that the NAP ID or the BS ID is invalid according to the flowin the current protocol, hence increasing the speed of network accessingof a terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an optimized flow of network discovery and selection based oninformation on the last connection in a WiMAX network according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an optimized flow of network discovery and selection based onconfiguration information in subscription in a WiMAX network accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The method for accelerating network accessing of a terminal in awireless communication system provided by the present inventioncomprises the following steps:

a wireless terminal receives system parameter information, and afterobtaining system information of a BS ID and a NAP ID, it immediatelyjudges validity of the NAP ID, or validity of both the BS ID and NAP ID;

if a result of the judgment is “valid”, the terminal proceeds to asubsequent flow of receiving, parsing and processing physical channelparameter messages; otherwise, it carries out a new flow of networkdiscovery and selection.

In the above steps of the method, only if the NAP ID, or both the BS IDand the NAP ID are valid, the terminal continues to receive and processthe physical layer configuration messages, thus avoiding continuing toperform a process of receiving and processing physical layerconfiguration messages in the case that the NAP ID or BS ID is invalid,thereby accelerating the process of network discovery and selection bythe terminal.

The above technical scheme of the present invention will be described infurther detail in conjunction with specific embodiments and drawings.

In embodiment 1, if a terminal stores information on previousconnections, the flow of network discovery and selection implemented inthis embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, comprisingthe following steps of:

Step 101: synchronizing a downlink channel, parsing a DL-MAP message,and respectively acquiring a NAP ID, a BS ID and a DCD count value;

Step 102: judging whether the NAP ID and BS ID match up with valuesstored in the terminal; if yes, proceeding to step 103, otherwiseturning to step 105;

Step 103: judging whether the DCD count value matches up with a valuestored in the terminal; if yes, proceeding to step 104, otherwise,turning to step 106;

Step 104: ending the network discovery and selection;

Step 105: terminating a subsequent flow in the original protocol andrestarting a process of network discovery and selection, i.e., theterminal does not have to receive, parse and process physical channelparameter messages according to the protocol;

Step 106: waiting and scanning to obtain DCD and upload channeldescriptor (UCD) messages and a NSP change count value, and proceedingto a subsequent flow according to the protocol.

In embodiment 2, if a terminal stores configuration information insubscription, the flow of network discovery and selection implemented inthis embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, comprisingthe following steps of

Step 201: synchronizing a downlink channel, parsing a DL-MAP message,and respectively acquiring a NAP ID, a BS ID and a DCD count value;

Step 202: judging whether the NAP ID matches up with the configurationinformation in subscription stored in the terminal; if yes, proceedingto step 203, otherwise turning to step 204;

Step 203: receiving physical layer configuration messages, such as DCDand UCD messages, as well as a NSP change count value, and proceeding toa subsequent flow according to the protocol;

Step 204: terminating a subsequent flow in the original protocol, andrestarting a process of network discovery and selection.

Although the present invention is disclosed with reference to the abovepreferred embodiments, those embodiments are not meant to limit thepresent invention, and any person skill in the art can make somevariations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the protectionscope of the present invention be limited by the claims appended hereto.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention provides a method for accelerating networkaccessing of a terminal in a wireless communication system. In a networkdiscovery and selection flow based on “pre-existing connectioninformation” or “pre-existing configuration information insubscription”, after a NAP ID and a BS ID are obtained through receptionof system information, validity of the NAP ID or validity of both theNAP ID and the BS ID is judged first, and then a subsequent flow isperformed, thus avoiding continuing to perform a series of uselessprocedures such as message receiving and decoding in the case that theNAP ID or the BS ID is invalid according to the flow in the currentprotocol, hence increasing the speed of network accessing of theterminal.

1. A method for accelerating network accessing of a terminal in awireless communication system, comprising steps of: (a) a wirelessterminal receiving system parameter information, and after obtainingsystem information of a base station identifier (BS ID) and a networkaccess provider identifier (NAP ID), immediately judging validity of theNAP ID, or validity of both the NAP ID and the BS ID; (b) if a result ofthe judgment is “valid”, the terminal proceeding to a subsequent flow ofthe network discovery and selection according to information stored inthe terminal; otherwise, carrying out a new flow of network discoveryand selection.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: if theterminal stores information on previous connections, then in the step(a), the terminal judges validity of both the NAP ID and the BS ID; ifthe terminal stores configuration information in subscription, then inthe step (a), the terminal judges validity of the NAP ID.
 3. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the subsequent flow in the step (b)comprises receiving, parsing and processing physical channel parametermessages.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the step (b),if a result of the judgment is “invalid”, then the terminal starts a newflow of network discovery and selection, instead of receiving, parsingand processing physical channel parameter messages according to acurrent protocol.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in thestep (a), the terminal obtains the BS ID and the NAP ID as well as adownload channel descriptor (DCD) count value by synchronizing adownlink channel and parsing a downlink mapping (DL-MAP) message.
 6. Amethod according to claim 5, wherein in the step (a), the terminalstores information on previous connections and the subsequent flow inthe step (b) comprises steps of: (b1) judging whether the DCD countvalue matches up with a DCD count value stored in the terminal; if yes,ending the network discovery and selection process, otherwise,proceeding to step (b2); (b2) receiving, parsing and processing a DCDmessage and an upload channel descriptor (UCD) message as well as anetwork service provider (NSP) change count value, and proceeding to asubsequent flow according to a protocol.
 7. The method according toclaim 2, wherein in the step (a), the terminal stores configurationinformation in subscription, and the subsequent flow in the step (b)comprises: receiving, parsing and processing a download channeldescriptor (DCD) message and an upload channel descriptor (UCD) messageas well as a network service provider (NSP) change count value, andproceeding to a subsequent flow according to a protocol.